How do you deactivate a Dragon NaturallySpeaking license?

Deactivating Dragon turns off its license on the computer you are using. You need to do this before you uninstall Dragon or move it to a new computer, because a license can limit where Dragon runs. Nuance documents two routes. On Dragon for Mac, you use the Help menu. On Windows, the documented route is a command-line switch. We could not confirm a Help menu route for a single-user copy of Dragon for Windows, so the Windows steps below use the switch.

Mac uses the Help menu, and Windows uses a command-line switch

On Dragon for Mac, Nuance's help says that after you deactivate the license from the Help menu and confirm, Dragon confirms that the license is deactivated ¹. That product has an end date. A 2018 report on a reseller's news page says Nuance would no longer provide updates for the software after 22 October 2018 ², so check your version before you follow that route.

For Windows, the Dragon Professional group client guide for version 16 lists a switch for natspeak.exe: "/Deactivate" deactivates the license for the current Dragon client ³. The same list of command-line options includes switches that open Dragon's folders, such as /FindAppData ⁴. The guide is written for group installs, so read the switch as Nuance's own documented route, not as a menu you will see on screen.

How to deactivate Dragon on Windows

1. Save your work and close Dragon.
2. Open Command Prompt and change to the folder that holds natspeak.exe. The guide does not give the default path for version 16. If you cannot find the file, search your PC for natspeak.exe.
3. Run natspeak.exe /Deactivate.
4. Keep your serial number and proof of purchase. The guide does not describe what the switch displays when it finishes, so if you are not sure it worked, contact Nuance support before you uninstall.

Deactivate before you uninstall, because the switch runs from the installed program.

Deactivation matters most when a license limits where Dragon can run

A license sets the number of computers where you can use Dragon. The University of York's IT services describe its Dragon Professional Individual licence as one that lets the user install Dragon on up to 4 devices for their own use ⁵. That is one university's reading of one edition. Your own license agreement is the final word, so check it before you move Dragon.

If your copy is managed, the rules are different. Nuance says that when Nuance Management Center mode is enabled, Dragon needs an internet connection to reach the NMC server ⁶. The organization controls its licenses in that setup, so ask your administrator before you deactivate.

Profiles stay on the disk after uninstalling

Uninstalling does not delete your profile. Nuance says that user profiles remain on your local drive after uninstallation ⁷. Before you remove the old copy, read the question on where Dragon keeps your user profile and copy the profile you want to keep.

What the sources do not confirm

• The Windows Help menu route. We could not open a Nuance page that shows a Deactivate option in Dragon 16 for Windows.
• Whether uninstalling while online releases the license. A reseller FAQ says so. We could not check that claim against Nuance, so do not rely on it.
• What the /Deactivate switch displays. The guide names the switch and its purpose, but not its output.

Next steps

If you are moving Dragon to another PC, follow the step-by-step guide to moving Dragon to a new computer. If Dragon will not start after you reinstall it, see why Dragon NaturallySpeaking is not working. For the full setup in order, return to how to use Dragon NaturallySpeaking, or read the dictation software overview for how Dragon compares with other tools. If you are unsure which perpetual license or subscription your copy uses, check the receipt before you deactivate.